3 Breeds and a Hard Pressed Decision Maker

[Wesman41]

I know this post will stir up debate, I am really justhoping to hear from current or previous owners in hopes to have moreinformation other than what I have researched to assist me making my decision.

For the past month I have been researching extensively on dog breeds. I havefirst set out my criteria in terms what I am looking for and in no order ofimportance.

-Waterfowling (Early and Late Season)
-Upland Game (Flushing or Pointing)
-Trainability
-Family (Fiancee approval lol) - I need a gun dog, but have to have the ok onfinancing the animal with an approval
-Other Dog friendly

3 breeds I have in mind (in no order) and where I would think about gettingthem are:

Pudelpointer - Pineridge Pudelpointers - These dogs seemed to be very versatile,come from a great family chain at Pineridge, added bonus is that my Fiancée cantolerate the breed, w

German Shorthair Pointer - Again, seem to be a very versatile breed, TwentyValley Pointers is where I have been viewing pups and the current breeding dogsthey have. (Fiancé is not sure on the breed)

Nova Scotia Duck Tolling Retriever - Love the look of these dogs, my cousin hasone named Denver, he is a good boy. Fox Grove Kennels is where I initiallythought of but I know there are a couple others. This is my Fiancée’s #1choice, but I am interested in all three and value your input!

Please let me know what you think of the breeds I have in mind and also thebreeders. Runners up to these breeds would be a Golden Lab or a ChocolateChessie, these are ones I know my Fiancée would 'Ok', but are not on the top ofmy list.

Thanks!

W
PS, this is not a debate on whether or not my Fiancee has me by the nuts either haha she is a great girl and encourages me to get out in the woods at every opportunity, I allow her to have input as it is a financial commitment our household will be making and she should be involved in the decision making process.

[Dakota Creek]

FYI ...

Chesapeake Bay Retrievers come in three colours - brown, sedge or dead grass. As to a Golden Lab ... There is no such breed. If you are thinking Labrador Retriever (short coat) there are three colours - black, yellow and chocolate or you may be thinking of the Golden Retriever (long coat).

Whatever breed you should decide on, make sure the breeder is doing all the health clearances which are appropriate for the breed you choose!

[Sharon]

LOL

Waterfowling? Get a lab. or PP or GWP

Having a breeder trainer to help you out , like Pineridge is a significant part of the equation.

Costs : The price of a good dog is not the end of expenses. Food and vet can total a couple thousand a year even with no major trauma. You may not want to tell your significant other that.

[krakadawn]

Interesting.....you've done extensive research yet you refer to 'golden labs' and 'chocolate chessies'!

Neither exist as Dakota Creek has pointed out.

The 3 breeds you are interested may well do the job for you depending on the breeding.........just as long as you leave out the late season gunning....pretty tough on those dogs for sure.

By the way late season gunning can be tough on any dog.

Get a lab.

[terrym]

You need to rate your priorities in terms of what you hunt. I agree with Sharon, if you do a fair bit of duck hunting a Lab would be my choice and they can flush upland birds too. Have you ever heard of a small munsterlander? Might also be a good choice if you lean to upland more.

[ebenezer]

You need to do more research on each of the breeds you have chosen. Other considerations besides the initial outlay for the pup and the maintainence costs are how much time and effort are you willing to put into training this dog. I have seen many young people come and go because they just did not understand the commitment it takes to train a good hunting companion. They didn't research the energy level of the breed they chose. They didn't consider their living accomodations. They didn't factor in what happens during the day when they were at work. What about planning a wedding in the near future? Puppies are kind of like having kids they need constant care and attention. You really have to consider all aspects of your life and the other commitments you have before settling on a pup. Sorry if I sound cranky but between winter and a root canal I am a little over the top. Good luck with your search and do take time before you make your decision.

[Wesman41]

The labs I had mentioned were just off the top of my head, my research on gun dogs thus far has been mainly on the three I highlighted. Sorry for not being technical, I'll be sure to do so an not upset the lab enthusiasts that are present in the forum.

As a young boy I helped train two boarder collies hearding 50+ sheep on a daily basis. The past 10 years I have been looking after three daschunds and a lab/Shepard mix, my aunt and dad did not want to split them all up so I left them all at there place when I moved out recently. I have one daschund trained to dive 12ft at the lake and fetch exact rocks I throw. The eldest flushes fairly good but is no retriever. The lab/Shepard is old, she can't do much anymore.

I am aware of what a dog entails, cost, time and that it is a commitment, so let's steer away from that topic. I was asking about the breeds, I didn't come on here to get posts on my time and my finances haha thanks for the comments though.
If you wish to continue posting let's stick to reviews on these three breeds or mentions of others that may intrigue interest.

Thanks,

W

[trkyhntr21]

Of the three you mentioned a pudelpointer sounds like a good fit. ie you have a dog that will do everything on your list your wife is okay with the breed and the breeder you mentioned is less than an hour away and has training and hunting facilities that could be a big help later on in training. I have a pup from Pineridge and I would get one from them again. Tons of drive and handles the cold well. Have you decided how big of a dog you want? My pup is 61 lbs at a 1yr 3 mo
I have seen some nice shorthairs and my cousin has a NSDTR nice dog isn't used for hunting so I can't comment on it's retrieve or drive.

[beagle2618]

first thing you said you wanted was a waterfowl dog... early and late season... I always liked the little nova scotia dogs,.. they would be a nice size for in the house... but how happy would your girl be with a long haired, mud packed, swamp smelling thing after a hunt? .. lol.. they are all good choices.... but if your a die hard duck hunter, and hunting in the cold.. it'd would be a lab or chesse for me... wives and girlfriends soon learn to love or put up with whatever we seem to bring home, so get what you'll use the most... lol

[welsh]

PS, this is not a debate on whether or not my Fiancee has me by the nuts either ...

Well, that kind of remark shouldn't even come up.

In any case, I would suggest you strike the toller off your list simply because a good hunting toller will be harder to find.

Re the remarks re late-season waterfowling that some have made above, this is an important consideration. If waterfowling is high up on your list of priorities then I suggest you seriously consider a Lab, regardless of the choices you've already made. If upland is more important to you then either of those breeds looks like a good choice to me.